


Once More Unto the Breach

by transubstantiate



Series: Bucky!Cap [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-27
Updated: 2014-07-27
Packaged: 2018-02-10 16:59:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2032800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/transubstantiate/pseuds/transubstantiate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: there's no song and dance, no identity games; she's assigned to liaise him from day one, because if there's two things shield thinks go hand in hand it's carters and captains. as the quinjet speeds across the ocean to fury's secret base, bucky studies her between reading reports. she looks bored, disinterested; certainly aware of his attention but apathetic to it anyway. they're wrong, he thinks. misguided. carters don't go with captains; carters go their own way. (courtesy of theladymonsters on tumblr (noticing a trend?))</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once More Unto the Breach

He locks his apartment door and rests his forehead against the wood for a minute.

I get up, Sam had said. Well, he’s up now, even if that is about all he can say for the day thus far.

There’s a thud (box hitting the floor), and someone asks, “Captain Barnes?” (female, young, mid 20s to 30s)

He studies the grain of the door and counts to five before turning.

"What do you want?"

The woman is tall, blond. “I’m Agent 13,” she says. “Sharon Carter. I’ve been assigned to you, to help ease your transition into S.H.I.E.L.D.”

"Sharon Carter?” Bucky cocks his head (it can’t be).

"I prefer Agent 13, if you don’t mind, Captain. But yes, Sharon Carter. Peggy Carter is my great-aunt."

(it is)

"So they thought giving me a familiar face would help ease my transition? Well, let me tell you something, sweetheart, you ain’t your aunt.”

Agent 13 smiles (hard, tight). “I am aware of that, thank you.”

The silence between them is tense until Bucky pushes past her, muttering “Have a nice day,” under his breath.

——

She’s leaning on the wall outside the apartment next door to his when he gets back.

"What are you doing here?" Bucky demands. "I don’t have any upcoming appearances or missions. You’re not needed."

"I live here," Agent 13 snaps.

"We’ll see about that," Bucky growls.

——

"It’s non-negotiable, Captain," Fury says. "Now get out of my office."

When he storms out, Agent 13 catches his eye and graces him with a satisfied smirk.

——

"I take it you’re not a fan of your new neighbor."

(Gun up, clear the door, check the corners, kitchen first, someone could be-)

"Natasha."

"She’s a good agent."

"Why are you in my apartment?"

"You should get to know her. She’s not even all that much like Peggy."

"I see you’ve helped yourself to my food. Please, do make yourself at home."

"Ok, I lied, she’s just like Peggy. But not on the surface. She’s all cold and duty on the surface. I like it. I like it.”

"Then go bother her. Right next door. Two steps away."

"I’m here to talk about you, Barnes."

"Oh, really."

"You’re not adjusting well."

"Oh, _really_.”

"We told Peggy about you. She said she was sorry. She asked to see you."

"I’m not visiting her again. Not after last time."

"You’re going to have to."

"No."

"You can either visit Peggy or you can make nice to Sharon. Don’t think that I can’t drag you to the assisted living facility."

——

He tries valiantly to smile at Agent 13 the next morning. He thinks he probably failed, because when she sees the expression on his face, she just looks worried and vaguely offended.

——

But Fury turns up in his apartment the next night, broken and bleeding, showing him a phone that says “ _s.h.i.e.l.d. compromised_ " and then there’s bullets (one, two, three) tearing through his walls and Agent 13 kicking down his door, shouting "Go, I’ve got the director!"

and then wind and night air and a desperate pursuit and he throws his shield across a rooftop, but the man turns, catches it effortlessly, stares him down with achingly familiar blue eyes.

——

Agent 13 is kneeling on the floor in his apartment, looking at the bullet holes in the wall, looking at the blood stains on the floor.

"Agent," Bucky alerts her to his presence, and when she looks up at him, her eyes are clear and sharp.

"They took him to the hospital," she says. "Emergency surgery."

Bucky puts down his shield and touches the star in the center, some kind of benediction.

"Do you think he’ll make it?" she asks.

"I didn’t get a good look at his wounds," Bucky says quietly.

"I don’t think he’ll make it," she says, and her breath catches (not a cry, just a hard truth). 

And Bucky crouches next to her, puts a hand on her shoulder, and together they watch the world fall from around their feet.


End file.
